You Know You're OLD When - - -

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Celebrating your birthday means going to Wally World, the grocery store, and out to eat AND you LIKE it that way!!!


First, before all that "frivolity" could begin, my friend Connie came by and brought me this! Isn't she smart and wonderful!


Fisherhubby got me more puzzles, the "primitive art" style I love AND - - -


A new six foot folding table on which to work my puzzles down in the FBC. Wasn't he just the clever one to find EXACTLY what I wanted and give it to me for my birthday????

That'll happen when you go to the store with them and PICK IT ALL OUT FOR YOURSELF!

:-)


Next we went to the grocery store where RIGHT IN THE POTATO aisle someone had built this masterpiece out of boxes of Coca-Cola.

Weren't they talented?

Looks like we may be headed for a potato famine though.


We finished off the wild craziness with dinner at El Mezcal, our new favorite restaurant in town.


It is so cute inside and out. Oh, we are STILL the number one La Charreada fans, but seven and a half hours one way is just a tad too long a trip for us to make just for dinner, so we were happy to find El Mezcal.


I got the shrimp burrito platter AND I've got a box of left-overs in the fridge for later today.

YUM!!

The last time I went to El Mezcal it was with my friend Stephanie. I dropped a bottle of hot sauce on the tile floor, shattering it and spraying her gorgeous white coat with red hot sauce. Last night I managed to toss a full dish of salsa down the front of my Colts hoodie and jeans.

I guess I really shouldn't be taken out in public!

I did learn one thing though - - - after being stared at like I was a leper - - - Colts fans are in a minority of ONE around these here parts! Seems like everyone else is wearing yellow and green for some strange reason.

Including Fisherhubby.

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Half Past OR Kissin' Time???

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My friend Kristin made a post today about a kissing Mr. and Mrs. Clause, circa 1972, which have been a part of her lifelong Christmas memories.

They reminded me of the kissing angels I bought to use on the top of our wedding cake in 1975.

I guess kissing things were all the rage back in THOSE days!


Anyway, I have ALWAYS kept my little angels in a cherished place in my decor year around and I have ALWAYS kept them like this - - - just set apart a little bit as if they are kissing each other on the cheek - - - half past kissin' time so to speak.

Low and behold, Kristin says her MOTHER, who is probably about my age, does the same thing with the kissing Santas. Hmmmmm - - - what does this tell us about the psyche of us - - - Kristin's mom and me???? I

Kristin's mom says she sets them this way to let their little faces show more.

I will be more transparent - - - I am slightly embarrassed to leave my little angels locked in a passionate kiss before God and everybody for years and years. I do NOT display them like this - - -


locked in a lip-to-lip possibly French Kiss, which is the way Miss Kristin wants her mom's Mr. and Mrs. Clause to remain.

Hmmmmmm - - - how about you? Do you approve of Half Past or Kissin' Time???

And before I leave you let me remind you that TODAY is one of the BIGGEST reasons we continue to celebrate beyond Christmas Day itself and into the New Year. What is today you might well ask?

Here's a tiny, eensy, weensy, little hint:





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I Hate to Vacuum

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I HATE to vacuum.

I think part of it is that I KNOW how to vacuum correctly - - - "Beulah" (my mom) saw to that! Furniture needs to be moved. Attachments need to be attached. Corners and crevices need to be suctioned free of lint, dust, dirt, and bugs.

I HATE it.

It doesn't help that I am NOT friends with Dyson.


Fortunately for me, Fisherhubby is friends with Dyson. He actually enjoys vacuuming.


Maybe because he's not laboring under the "Beulah" rules.

Oh, he attaches and glides under things. But he doesn't see the need to move furniture except on rare occasions like when the Pope is coming to visit. And since the Pope rarely visits - - -

He is happy and I am happy because I didn't have to face the Dreaded Dyson.

But the Dreaded Dyson needs to be faced TODAY and Fisherhubby is toiling away in the ER.

I'm sitting here, at home, at my lappy, playing.

I'm not a rocket scientist - - - but I think even I can connect THESE dots.

It's Dreaded Dyson time for me.

The End!

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African Treasures

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Our Daughter, Keri, went to Uganda Africa the first week of December. It was a life changing trip for her. (If you have not yet done so, please click on the "don't miss THIS" link at the top of this blog.)

Reading her travel reports and impressions took me back to my own trip to Africa. There is something about it that gets in the very marrow of your bones and will never leave you.

While there, Keri thought about us and brought home some treasures for us!! Yesterday this arrived at my door:


As I cut the packing tape and the box flaps opened, this is what I could see.

One of the "packing" items was an old stained t-shirt which, unless I miss my guess, belonged to our SIL. I THOUGHT about taking a picture of it and saying "My daughter went to Africa and ALL I got was this t-shirt!" - - - but thought better of that idea!


These were the treasures in the box. A giraffe, a rhino, and some hand-made beads. I just laid the beads down on the counter and they naturally formed the shape of Africa.

Oh come on - - - I can see the shape of Africa, can't you?


The beads were hand-made from newspaper by a Ugandan woman. NEWSPAPER???? I have no clue how in the world she does that - - - but they are beautiful. I'm going to wear them soon - - - probably Sunday to church.

Thank you Keri for bringing us these treasures!

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Christmas Table

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We were invited to my friend Connie's house for Christmas dinner. This is Connie seated with her SIL Sally standing behind her.

Connie had gone to much trouble to make a lovely meal AND a beautiful table. Since I don't "do" beautiful tables, I thought I'd share hers with all of you.


First, this is her china hutch in the dining room. It is FILLED with beautiful Christmas china. I am especially fond of the unusual platters - - - the bell and the star.

I'm pretty "gone" over the ruby red Christmas stemware too!


And this is her table. I don't think ANYTHING says Christmas better than red and green, and in THIS case the green is a centerpiece made with fresh pine boughs, candles, and carnations.

It was ALMOST a shame to mess up this beauty by eating.

Oh, but fear not - - - we sat around that table and dug RIGHT in.


My plate did NOT look this pretty and pristine AFTER I ate, I can just tell you!

Thank you, Connie for a beautiful table, a wonderful meal, and great fellowship!

Since this IS a table setting, and since I NEVER do one myself, I'm linking to "Table Top Tuesday."

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You "Ain't" Never Heard THIS Santa Before!

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My very talented soon-to-be-five year old grandson, Mackinley, and my brilliant college student son, Kyle, collaborated to produce this vocal. Mackinley is "the voice" and Kyle is the producer recorder.

Enjoy!

We think it is well worth the listen.



Santa Clause is Coming to Town | Upload Music

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Hardy Stock

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Yesterday, after eating a delicious Christmas dinner with our friends, Fisherhubby and I set out through the snow to see what we could see.


It was so pretty. The snow was falling and some of the roads over which we traveled hadn't been completely cleared yet.

I really wanted to show Fisherhubby a sight which I spied in the dark while returning from a Christmas Eve service. FH had to work on Christmas Eve, so he hadn't seen it yet.



It's the ice fishing village which has sprouted up on Lake Nepco. (Please click the picture for a much better view.)


Looks like a gold rush shanty town in the middle of the lake, which will remain until just before the spring thaw.


There were lots of souls from hardy stock out there yesterday. We watched this duo pulling a sled filled with their fishing gear - - -


Out onto the ice and to their own fishing hole - - - which when one is ice fishing literally IS a hole.


Some fishermen didn't even have a shanty, but were perched on buckets leaning right over their fishin' hole.


We drove on down to Devil's Elbow to see if a fishing village had also sprung up there. Only found two shanties, and no activity.


Other hardy souls were strapping on their cross country skis. Cross country skiing is a LOT of work. I was content just to WATCH them from the warmth of my car!

I should have gotten pictures of some of the ice skaters on the city rink, but didn't think of it until just now so you'll have to imagine them on your own.

Snowmobiling also abounds 'round here. We only saw their tracks yesterday.

So while parts of the world hunker down in front of a warm fire when it snows, the hardy folk who live here have lots of options for getting out in it and enjoying everything Old Man Winter has to offer!

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Merry Merry Christmas!!!

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There are warmest Christmas wishes coming your way today from snowy Wisconsin.


My wish for you is that your tree will be merrier and brighter than is ours and that you are enjoying fellowshipping around it with - - -


Family and friends.


Here's also wishing you some peaceful quiet snuggling with complete command of the remote control!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS from my keyboard to your screen.

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Hallelujah!

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

He is born.

He reigns.

And He will forever.

Hallelujah!!!



(Thanks to my friend Mark who posted this first)

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Joe's Not Sad No MO!

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You, my bloggy visitors, were sure Joe couldn't remain a grump once he had spent a few minutes with darling little Carson - - - and you were RIGHT!

He's sad no mo!!!

(There's a video - - - wait for it, takes a minute or so to load)


How could anyone be sad with Carson around?

Here she is playing with a potato - - - something her Great Aunt Keetha used to do back in the day when she was this size.

I guess it's in the genes!

That or Sister Pam set her UP by giving her a potato to see what she'd do.

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He Went Down on One Knee!

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For several years our oldest son, Kelly, has been dating Cathy.

We all LOVE Cathy. We've been waiting patiently (OK - - - who am I kidding! There's been NOTHING patient about ANY of us) for him to "pop" the question.


A couple of years ago, Fisherhubby gave Cathy this HUGE diamond and said, "If my son isn't going to ask you to marry him, I am asking you to marry our FAMILY!"

Oh, there were grins all around, and the kids took it well - - - but you know, interfering parents are never really welcome.


Two years ago Kelly even posted this photo on Facebook - - - leaving us to all wonder, "did he or didn't he???" I mean, our son would definitely do something wild and crazy like getting married in Vegas and "forgetting" to tell us about it.

But, as it turned out - - - he didn't.


This time it is for real!!! Last night, he went down on one knee and popped the question. He had already asked her father for her hand.

She was shocked. She was speechless.


But she found her voice long enough to say YES!!!

We are so happy, so pleased, and so excited to welcome you into our family, Cathy!!!

NOW it truly is MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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A Tale of Two Houses

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I am sure someone built this house to be a family home. I do not know who they were nor what joys and sorrows they experienced while living here. I don't know how many children's voices echoed in these halls.

I do know that by the time I was a teenager living in this town, this house contained the public library.

I LOVED This Old Library.

My sister and I figured out quickly that our mother valued reading. She valued it so much that if we were hidden behind a book, devouring the words from the page, she wouldn't disrupt us to call us to our chores.

No dummies we, we walked countless times to This Old Library to check out armloads of books.

The "young readers" section of This Old Library was on the second floor. In at least one window facing toward the back of the house, there was a window seat. I LOVED to check out my books and settle into that window seat to read until it was time to walk home.

Now a "new" library has been built. I say "new" because it is already at least 40 years old - - - but it was built to be the "new" library when I was in high school. It is a fine, sprawling, modern library. I'm sure it has more room for books and meeting rooms and theaters than did This Old Library, but it does not contain the charm, the character, nor the history that This Old Library had to offer. I do not feel any love for it.

There's a sign in front of This Old Library that says "Historical Museum." One day, I shall go visit that Historical Museum with my camera in my hand! When I do, rest assured I shall share that visit with you.


I don't know the tale of This Old House.

Look at it! It is grand. It's like a manor house in central Wisconsin! It MUST harbor stories and memories galore. Can you just imagine it bedecked for Christmas????

It had to be in this town when I was growing up here. It obviously has more years on it than do I. It's located along a major route that I took MANY times back in those days, and yet - - - I have no memory of it.

I've asked a few people about This Old House. The answers I've gotten have been fuzzy at best. But like a blood hound, I shall put my nose to the ground and ferret out the tale - - - for tale there MUST be. And when I find it, I shall share it with you!

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It's a Snow Globe World

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Homes draped in their holiday finest.

Then a giant hand - - -

Took a firm grasp on their snow globe world

And shook and shook

Until everything was covered in white.

I believe a little more shakin'
Is called for tomorrow.

No need to dream of a white Christmas 'round here.

We've already GOT one!

Merry Christmas!!!

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Joe and Moe

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My BIL Joe met Moe in the Minneapolis Airport.

Joe is 'mo' unhappy than Moe.

Moe doesn't MIND being in a cold climate, while Joe didn't want to leave his new warm Florida home no 'mo,' especially to be STUCK in snowy Minneapolis.

To make matters worse, Joe was headed to where it might be even 'mo' cold - - - ALASKA!

And he was NOT a happy camper no 'mo.'


Only the first birthday of this very cute little Alaskan, Joe's grand daughter Carson, could have lured him away from his sunny-shore home.


Little Miss Carson doesn't care about the weather, she's just happy with life, especially dressed up in all her Sunday go to meetin' finest!

Happy Birthday Carson Girl!

(All the photos in this post were e-mailed from my sister's phone, we are not responsible for their graininess.)

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